This section is intended to introduce the reader to art that may be related to various aspects of the present inventions, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the present inventions. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in that light, and not as admissions of prior art.
Traditionally, hay and other agricultural materials have been compacted into relatively small rectangular bales for storage, etc. Because of their size and weight, old style rectangular bales were adapted for manual handling. However, more recently, the use of round bales has become popular. Round bales are actually cylindrical in shape and are characterized by diameters of six feet or more and by axial lengths of three feet or more. Due to their considerable mass and volume, round bales can not be handled manually. Rather, the use of mechanical devices, such as tractors, is necessary in order to properly move these round bales.
Previously, various tractor mounted devices have been provided for use in handling round bales. Prior round bale handling systems have generally been of two types: rear mounted devices and front mounted devices. The rear mounted devices have typically been comprised of forks, prongs or bale spears fixedly attached to a frame for attachment to a tractor which extend rearwardly from the tractor and are supported on a hitching mechanism of the tractor for actuation thereby. Front mounted devices comprise additional accessories adopted for use with apparatus permanently affixed to the tractor for actuating such attachment, such as lifting forks, dozer blades, etc.
Conventional bale moving devices typically exhibit a number of mechanical limitations or drawbacks which generally restrict their utility to rather specific and limited adaptations. For example, the transport of large bales is often hazardous and may approach or exceed stability limitations of the transporting tractor. The bulk and weight of the lifted bale substantially alters and shifts the gravitational center of the transporting tractor. This problem becomes particularly acute when the tractor is transporting the bale over uneven or steep terrain.
Crop production requires highly intensive labor, especially during harvest time. Farm producers must have the ability to timely and expeditiously perform a number of activities around the farm within a short period of time. Weather conditions may abruptly change and spoil crops necessitating long hours of activity.
Conventional bale spears systems attachable to tractors permanently extend the bale spears in a position rearward from the tractor. While these systems are adaptable for use with various types of conventional round bales, these conventional bale spear systems limit the capability of the tractors to perform other tasks by requiring the attachment of different farm equipment to the rear of the tractor at the same time as the bale spear system is being utilized. For example, when the bale spears are extended rearwardly, it is difficult, if not impossible, to use the tractor to pull farm equipment at the same time. In addition, because it is necessary that these bale spear systems be quite sturdy to handle the significant weight of the bales of hay, the attachment and removal of these bale spears systems can be time and labor intensive. It would be preferable for these bale spear systems be designed for attachment to the back of tractors without limiting the additional equipment that can also be attached to the tractor to perform other tasks around the farm.
It is one object of the invention to provide an improved bale spear system which overcomes the difficulties of conventional bale spear systems and permits the utilization of the bale spear system while attached to a tractor at the same time as other farm equipment is also attached to the tractor.